an area in hostile territory that has been captured and is held awaiting further troops and supplies; "an attempt to secure a bridgehead behind enemy lines"; "the only foothold left for British troops in Europe was Gibraltar"

an initial accomplishment that opens the way for further developments; "the town became a beachhead in the campaign to ban smoking outdoors"; "they are presently attempting to gain a foothold in the Russian market"

a bridgehead on the enemy's shoreline seized by an amphibious operation; "the Germans were desperately trying to contain the Anzio beachhead"

an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure; "the south wall had a small window"; "the walls were covered with pictures"

a masonry fence (as around an estate or garden); "the wall followed the road"; "he ducked behind the garden wall and waited"

a layer of material that encloses space; "the walls of the cylinder were perforated"; "the container's walls were blue"

(anatomy) a layer (a lining or membrane) that encloses a structure; "stomach walls"

anything that suggests a wall in structure or function or effect; "a wall of water"; "a wall of smoke"; "a wall of prejudice"; "negotiations ran into a brick wall"

a vertical (or almost vertical) smooth rock face (as of a cave or mountain)

a difficult or awkward situation; "his back was to the wall"; "competition was pushing them to the wall"